A new survey says America's honeybee hives just staggered through the second highest death rate on record, with beekeepers losing nearly half of their managed colonies. But using costly measures to create new colonies, beekeepers are somehow keeping afloat. Thursday’s University of Maryland and Auburn University survey says that even though 48% of colonies were lost in the year that ended April 1, the number of United States honeybee colonies remained relatively stable. Honeybees are crucial to the food supply, pollinating more than 100 of the crops we eat, including nuts, vegetables and fruits. Scientists blame parasites, pesticides, starvation and climate change for large die-offs.
Even worse, honeybees can compete with wild local bees… Best solution is indeed flowers (local plants are usually better choices) and providing a good environment for wild pollinators
I don’t think most people even know honeybees aren’t native to North America. Native bees are the ones at risk, and non-native honeybees aren’t helping.